Rolesville School

The school was called Mitchell Mill School. The building had two rooms. The small room was for grades 1–3, the big room was for 4–7. The schools were later consolidated to Rolesville School.

I started in the two-room school when I was 4 years old. My brother was old enough to go, but I wasn't and I cried to go. The teacher lived in our community, and she told my mother to let me go. She said I was so little that I wouldn't go but two to three days and would get bored. I fooled them. I went from Day 1 through high school with perfect attendance. I finished high school at age 16 in the first class to graduate from Rolesville High School in 1936. We had 15 in the class.

One day when I was in the 4th grade I woke up with my throat swollen. My mother told me I couldn't go because I had the mumps and they would send me home. I went to my room and tied a scarf around my neck and put on a little blue hat and went to school. It was in the winter. I wore the scarf for two or three days. Nobody ever knew I had the mumps. I told them weeks later.

I loved to go to school and church. I have never missed any Sundays in my life except due to illness. My advice to all children is go to school and church.